An Appreciation for the Simpler Things
by ChinaDollMaiden
Summary: Sometimes, it's the simple things that really make life great. A collection of short Protocreed drabbles. 100 Word-Themed Writing Challenge. Alex/Desmond, same-sex relationship warning. RATING CHANGED! Originally Rated K, now Rated T.
1. Blink

**This is my first Crossover and my first Protocreed fanfiction, so I hope you enjoy.**

**This is a 100 word theme challenge! Meaning the chapters won't be very long AT ALL, but as there are 100 theme words, there will be 100 chapters. :D**

**Music recommendation: Coldplay - "Postcards from Far Away"**

**Enjoy!**

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001. Blink

When Alex looks at Desmond, a second could pass by and it would feel like an eternity to him. He would never get tired of when his boyfriend would tap his index finger on his lips when he was deep in concentration. And he would always love the way Desmond drummed on his thighs with his palms when he had nothing else to do.

Desmond's eyes were, of course, his favorite thing to look at.

Those eyes of his drove him wild.

They were big, shiny, and adorable. Anything he could ever want in a pair of eyes. The color reminded him of chocolate, or maybe cinnamon.

And when he used Eagle Vision, it was like staring at a jar full of honey. The irises were practically transparently golden, with those tiny hints of orange and brown here and there.

They were caring and sensitive, just like Desmond was. Rare were the moments when he saw anger behind those warm eyes.

He would never get tired of it.

That's why he hated it when Desmond blinked. He understood it was a necessity, but he hated it.

Because a millisecond of blinking meant a millisecond without being able to look him in his eyes, like he likes to.

* * *

**There, first chapter done. Only 99 to go.**

**I got 99 chapters but a blink ain't one.**

**Stay tuned for more VERY soon, because I reached my daily post limit on tumblr and i don't have much else to do.**


	2. Cuddle

**Second chapter, AWAY.**

**Oh, and I just wanted to say that the icon for this story was NOT done by me (except I forgot who did it *sob* I'm sorry).**

**Music recommendation: The Ink Spots - "I Don't Want To Set the World On Fire"**

**Well, here's chapter 2. Enjoy!**

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002. Cuddle

It was 2:43 AM. Desmond quietly opened the door to his and Alex's apartment, desperately praying that tonight, the hardwood floors wouldn't creak. He didn't want to wake Alex.

A few hours ago, when Desmond was supposed to get let out from work as a bartender, he was just getting ready to go home.

Too bad he works at the best and most popular bar in all of New York City.

So he called Alex and let him know he'd be home late. He just didn't know he would be nearly three hours late.

Sneaking past the couch, he tip-toed halfway into their bedroom doorway when he realized that Alex wasn't in bed. Turning around, he saw what was basically the cutest thing he had ever seen.

There, on the couch, was Alex. Fast asleep, wearing the biggest, plushest comforter available to them and clutching a very fluffy looking pillow in his strong arms. Seeing him like this, it was hard to believe that Alex generally ran around New York, terrorizing the Blackwatch soldiers and consuming citizens when he saw fit.

Here, he looked like Desmond's precious, innocent boyfriend who could do no wrong. Though he knew Alex did wrong every damn day.

Past experiences told Desmond that Alex hated waking up alone, so tonight, for his sake, Desmond would sacrifice his comfort for Alex's. He crept up to the couch, quickly analyzed the best way to get underneath the comforter with the least chance of waking Alex, and proceeded to curl up with his lover.

Unfortunately, Alex was a light sleeper. Desmond, who had pressed his ear to Alex's chest as he always did when sharing a sleeping place with him, heard a deep grumbling groan come from Alex, whose eyes slowly opened and looked down.

"You're home," Alex purred, wrapping an arm around Desmond.

"Yeah," Desmond whispered, "I'm home."

Nuzzling his face into Desmond's neck, Alex promptly fell back asleep. Desmond was quickly nodding off, and he curled even further into Alex's frame.

And just for that night, they spent the night cuddling on the couch.

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**BAM DONE.**

**ONLY TOOK ME HALF AN HOUR (the time between when I posted the first chapter and when I started writing this one was spent on tumblr).**

**Hope you enjoyed this chapter! It came to me a lot easier than the first chapter. A lot easier to write.**

**Good DAY, sir.**


	3. Scream

**I'm on a roll here.**

**Music recommendation: Lana Del Rey - "Without You"**

**Shut up I like Lana Del Rey.**

**Enjoy chapter 3!**

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003. Scream

Desmond and Alex were curled up together on the couch, a few emptied bottles of beer littering the floor by their feet. They poured over an enormous bowl of popcorn, eyes glued to the television screen.

Alex was a huge fan of scary movies, and had seen nearly every critically acclaimed horror film known to man. Desmond, however, was a bit more reluctant to watch them. When Alex learned Desmond had yet to see Insidious, he insisted they watch it together. Alex didn't really count Insidious as a horror movie; in his opinion it was more of a mindfuck than scary. But he wanted to spend some quality time with Desmond.

"Alex, this is too scary, I don't wanna watch this anymore."

Plus, he knew Desmond hated scary movies. It was so much fun to tease him.

"This movie isn't scary at all, you're just a pussy."

"If I was a pussy you wouldn't be dating me."

Alex chuckled.

"I see what you did there."

In the film, the mother was walking into the child's room to check on him, and when she entered the room, there was a man standing behind the white gossamer curtains. Screaming, Desmond jumped in his seat, throwing pieces of popcorn in the air, and dove under the blanket that he shared with Alex.

Alex could not stop laughing.

"Come on, Des, it's just a movie, you know it's not real."

"T-that doesn't make it any less scary to me."

Scooting closer to him, Alex placed a warm hand on his back in an effort to soothe him. Desmond relaxed into his touch, sitting back up and sighing.

"And besides," Alex purred into his ear, "even if it _was_ real, nothing can touch you while I'm around."

Desmond blushed a bit. Unnoticeable to a normal human, but Alex caught it. Alex chuckled, and proceeded to nibble Desmond's ear.

"A-Alex, stop it!" Desmond giggled. Before Alex could do it again, Desmond turned his head so that rather than his ear, his lips were what met Alex's.

But another scream from the television broke up their romantic moment, and Desmond dove back underneath the blanket.

"Why don't you do something useful while you're down there?"

"Shut up, Alex."

* * *

**Sexual innuendoooos lol whut.**

**Chapter 4 coming soooon.**


	4. Change

**Sup.**

**On with the show.**

**Music recommendation: Marina and the Diamonds - Radioactive**

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004. Change

When Desmond first met Alex, it was at the bar he worked at.

Just another routine day.

He was doing the normal stuff, like that overused cliche idea of the bartender drying off glasses with a rag.

But what made that day special was who came into the bar.

Of course it was Alex, he just hadn't realized who he was at the time. Mostly because Alex had taken the appearance of a very suave, handsome business man who looked like he had a terribly stressful day at work.

The man waltzed up to the counter, flopped down, and rested his elbows on the surface.

"Bad day at work?" Desmond asked.

At first, the man seemed a bit hesitant to answer, even a bit put off that someone was talking to him at all, but he loosened up.

"The worst," he groaned, his voice heavy with some sort of European accent. Desmond nodded.

"I know the feeling. Working at a bar can have its perks, but it's not exactly a barrel of laughs," he joked. "Anyway, can I get you a drink to take your mind off work?" The man nodded, smiling at Desmond.

"A bottle of Everclear and a shot glass," he remarked, pushing forward a one hundred dollar bill. "Keep the change."

"Uh, sir...you do know a bottle of Everclear only costs fifteen dollars...and are you sure you want Everclear? It's one of the strongest alcoholic drinks in the world."

"Yeah, I know. And like I said, keep the change," he insisted, grinning at Desmond. He hesitated, but Desmond accepted the money.

"Well, there's my tip for the month," Desmond quipped, causing the man to laugh. He pulled out the bottle and shot glass just like the customer had ordered, and poured the first glass himself. Desmond watched in awe as the man downed six shots of Everclear in a row, barely stopping for breaths.

At that time, another customer walked through the doors. The Everclear man looked up from his drink, stood up, and without a word walked over to the newcomer. The newcomer looked peeved at first, but then all hell broke loose.

Right before Desmond's eyes, the Everclear man began to shift and, as gross as it sounds, ripple. Suddenly, he was no longer the handsome man in a suit, but a slightly taller man with pale, near white skin and icy blue eyes, wearing a brown hoodie and black leather jacket.

What was even crazier was that his hand turned into a huge claw, and said claw plunged right into the chest of the newcomer.

An onslaught of screams and cries of terror ensued, but the man was unfazed, and the body of the dying man began to absorb into his own body. Covered in blood, the clawed man licked his lips. His eyes suddenly snapped back to Desmond.

Desmond dropped the bottle of gin he was holding straight onto his foot in fear. He may be an Assassin, but he had only seen murders that gruesome in the movies. As the man turned his body around and stalked back over to the counter, Desmond was scrambling backward in a vain attempt to put some distance between them. There was only so much room behind that bartender's booth, though.

If there was one moment Desmond had honestly feared for his life, it was then.

But to his surprise, the man didn't come any closer, and merely grabbed the bottle of Everclear, downed the entire thing in one go, and dropped it daintily on the floor.

"See you around, bartender," he drawled, sauntering right out the front door.

The bar was closed for investigation of the murder. But after a month with hardly any evidence, the case was going nowhere, and the bar was re-opened.

Just another routine day, when a man walked in and sat down.

"A bottle of Everclear," he said, smirking and pushing forward a one hundred dollar bill.

* * *

**LOLOL here you go chapter 4.**

**Extra long this time. Don't get used to it.**

**Also, someone asked if Desmond was still wanted by Abstergo. No, he is not. (And don't ask why because I tend not to think very far ahead.)**

**Deuces.**


	5. Scratch

**Teehee harro I am back again.**

**I should really update my Lokasha/Blackfrost fic soon. Oh well.**

**Music recommendation: Beyonce - "Flaws and All"**

**GO**

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005. Scratch

A yawn, and possibly a groan, was all that was heard as Desmond woke up one Sunday morning. Tossing the covers off, he paid no attention to his unclothed state and proceeded to mosey over to the bathroom and brush his teeth. Not long after, Alex walked in, most likely intending to do the same thing. He smirked, eyes dropping to give an appreciative glance at his behind, but his smirk fell when he noticed something out of place.

"I'm sorry for that," Alex said, burying his face in Desmond's shoulder. Said assassin stopped in mid-brush, and in a muffled voice, he hummed with a questioning tone.

"For what?" he meant to say, but it was stifled by the foamy toothpaste. Alex pointed to Desmond's hips.

"The bruises," he said, with a tone that clearly said 'this should be obvious'. "They must hurt."

"Not really," he said, but once Alex poked one of the dark purple-ish gray bruises, he winced in slight pain.

"See?" Alex said. Desmond could tell that Alex was angry at himself, even though he thought it was a stupid reason to be angry.

"Alex, practically anyone would gets bruises after sex _that_ rough," he said with a roll of his eyes. He spit out the toothpaste, and took his lover's face in his hands and pressed their lips together.

"But I hurt you," Alex whispered.

"Not as badly as_ I'm_ gonna hurt _you_ if you don't get your butt back in our bed," he growled seductively. "Besides, I scratched your back up pretty badly. I guess that makes us even."

Alex grabbed a hand mirror and angled it so he could see his reflection, and sure enough, there were several red scratch marks marring his perfectly clear, white skin in sets of four, with a smaller scratch accompanying each set representing the scratch the thumbs made.

He was too busy having rough, hot sex with Desmond he hadn't even realized that his boyfriend was scarring his back. Not that he minded.

"Alex, hurry up," Desmond purred, "I'm _waiting_..."

And the loud morning sex was definitely a plus.

* * *

**Here you go, chapter 5.**

**Hope you liked it. Not _as_ long as some of them, but not that short either.**

**Byeeee.**


	6. Flower

**Yuh bitches. Let's get down to business.**

**Music recommendation: Four Tops - "I Can't Help Myself (Sugar Pie, Honey Bunch)"**

**Adios.**

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006. Flower

After a few months of dating, Desmond would wake up every morning, go out to get the paper, and once a week, he would find a bouquet of flowers resting atop the rolled up periodical. Buried in that bouquet was a note from Alex, having only the meaning of the flower on the card.

The first week was a bouquet of white gardenias.

_"Joy. - Alex"_

The second week was a bouquet of branches, each holding a few bunches of lilacs.

"These aren't even in season," Desmond muttered to himself. Lilacs were spring exclusive flowers; how did Alex get a hold of so many in the middle of November?

_"First love. - Alex"_

The third week, it was a huge sunflower.

"Christ, Alex, where are you getting these flowers?" Desmond said.

To most people, this would be the point where it became almost stalker-ish. But Desmond thought it was the sweetest thing anyone had ever done for him.

_"Adoration. - Alex."_

The fourth week was different. Sunday, his day off. Desmond didn't wake up to find just flowers on his apartment doorstep.

He woke up to find flowers _and_ Alex.

"Hi, Alex," Desmond croaked groggily, a hint of tiredness still in his voice.

"Did I ever tell you that your voice is really sexy when you've just woken up?" Alex purred with a sly grin. With that, he pulled his hands from behind his back. In his hands was a huge bouquet of red roses. He placed them in Desmond's hands, standing by with a dorky smile.

No card this time. No need. Everyone knew what red roses meant.

"Well, just thought I'd deliver these ones in perso-"

Desmond cut him off by grabbing him by the jacket, pulling him into the apartment and capturing his lips in a heated kiss.

"I like where this is going," Alex purred.

The morning after that, to Desmond's displeasure, Alex was gone before he woke up. He must have left recently, too, because on the table was a plate of buttered toast, eggs, and assorted fresh fruits, with a still steaming cup of coffee next to it.

He went to get the paper, and there it was.

A single tuberose. The message card set his face on fire with all different shades of red and pink.

_"Pleasure. - Alex"_

Desmond didn't have the heart to tell Alex that he was terribly allergic to the pollen.

* * *

**Yes omg my sister got some Dr. Pepper. TIME TO GET SOME. YISS.**

**Okay enjoy this chapter! I'm probs gonna get straight to righting another 3 chapters. I'm trying to get as many chapters done as possible before school starts WITHOUT RUSHING IT.**

**But School starts in 5 days. Yayyy.**

**Deuces.**


	7. Pirate

**Yup yup! Sup ladies.**

**Just wanted to let you all know (in case you weren't already aware) I've made a tumblr for this account: (chinadollmaiden . tumblr . com)**

**Music recommendation: Beyonce - "Amor Gitano (ft. Alejandro Fernandez)"**

**This one will be a bit longer than usual. Enjoy!**

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007. Pirate

Halloween. In Alex's opinion, the most surprisingly useful holiday of them all. He could walk the streets in his costume, completely unafraid of any Blackwatch soldiers and the infected count had dwindled to quite a low percentage.

Every year, Dana held a Halloween party. Only good friends were invited, of course, and that included Desmond's three friends: Lucy, Shaun, and Rebecca. Dana was actually quite close with Rebecca, and the two had quite a lot in common. But that was besides the point.

This year, Alex dressed as a Pirate. Ranked captain, of course. He even had a fake green parrot on his shoulder. Desmond, however, had yet to tell him what his costume would be.

"Desmond, the party's gonna start soon. We'll be late. You almost ready?"

"Just a minute - ouch!"

"...do you need help?" Alex yelled across the apartment.

"Maybe."

Alex shook his head, chuckling, and went into the bedroom to help Desmond. There he discovered that Desmond had chosen to dress as a matador, and had somehow gotten tangled in his red cape.

"How did you get the cape into your shoe? It doesn't even reach that far!" Alex exclaimed with an incredulous tone.

"I don't know, just help me!"

After assisting Desmond is correcting his costume, he stood back and admired their handiwork. The costume was surprisingly detailed, and looked authentic...at least from what he'd seen of matadors.

But he had to say it.

"It looks nice on you...but it'd look better on the floor," he growled playfully, moving to nibble on Desmond's earlobe.

What fun was Halloween if he couldn't slip in a dirty comment or two?

"Shut up, Alex!" he laughed, pushing him away. "Let's hurry."

Upon arriving, they decided that if they couldn't immediately tell what someone's costume was, they would have fun by guessing. Dana approached them, welcoming them to the party.

"You guys made it!" She said. She was dressed as a 1920s flapper girl, and she swished her body to animate her tendril-y dress. "Great costume, guys. Love the parrot, Alex - ah, welcome!" She was distracted by another pair of guests who has just arrived. The two grabbed some punch and went to greet those guests they knew.

Rebecca dressed as an astronaut, which was pretty much the best costume there, in Alex's opinion. The helmet was awesome. She even let Alex try it on.

"Houston, we have a problem," Alex joked, making static noises.

Shaun was wearing a very old-looking, frilly ensemble.

"Hello, Desmond, Alex. Bet you can't guess who I've dressed as," he challenged them. Alex was the first to guess.

"A princess."

Desmond couldn't help but cackle at Shaun's disgruntled expression.

"_No_," Shaun hissed, "no. I am dressed as King Henry VIII." With that, he walked off to join a quartet dressed as the Beatles.

Brits gotta stay together.

Lucy was dressed as a sexy cowgirl, complete with cowboy boots adorned with spurs, a cowboy hat, cow print, and a sheriff's badge.

"Nice costume, Des," she said in what could pass for a flirty manner, winking. Alex's possessive boyfriend mode activated, and he placed an arm over his younger lover's shoulder, sending a well-placed glare to the blonde. She seemed to pick up on the somewhat hateful and jealous vibes from Alex, and she held her hands up in a defensive manner, but said nothing. She only walked off to join the small crowd at the punch bowl.

After a few hours of eating candy and staring at poor excuses for Halloween decorations (Dana never was good at that sort of thing), Alex found Desmond by the punch bowl, devouring every bit of caramel corn he could get his hands on. Gracefully, of course. Desmond was the neater eater of the two. Alex surprised him by embracing him from behind, purring into his ear.

"What do you say we get out of here and find some place a bit more...private, _mi amor_?" he breathed, using what little spanish he had learned in school. Desmond sighed, leaning into the embrace.

"Aye aye, captain," he hummed, grabbing his wrists and leading him out to their car.

* * *

**Leaving some for your imagination.**

**Also omfg I was so angry, I was writing this, and I had written a lot, and then bam, fanfiction logged me out and I lost half of what I had.**

**Anyways, expect another chapter soon.**

**Bye!**


	8. Away

**Aww yiss. Hi again. Straight to it.**

**Music recommendation: Coldplay - "Paradise"**

**GO**

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008. Away

Desmond was dying to get out of the city. It was the same thing every day. Leave the house, hit traffic, work for twelve hours, get hit on by lonely co-worker, hit traffic, come home to horny boyfriend, deny horny boyfriend sex, sleep.

Repeat.

He wanted to go somewhere. Somewhere that was not a city. Somewhere far away, just for a little while.

He wanted a vacation.

Upon expressing his desire for travel to Alex, he was delighted when Alex promised him that they would go somewhere soon. They were surprisingly well off, for a pair living in a shabby New York apartment, so they could afford it.

Desmond wasted no time in searching the internet for places he was interested in going. Somewhere with a wide, open area, filled with trees, grassy hills, white puffy clouds, and starry night skies as far as the eye could see. No city skylines, no noisy cars, no power plants. Just a wide open countryside, just for the two of them.

It wasn't long before Desmond set his heart on a single place that appealed to every single one of his wants and needs for travel. Just a random house for rent overlooking a huge grassy field in rural Georgia. Alex agreed, and they were already planning the flight. Under false aliases, just to be safe.

Alex had made sure, somehow, that they would not be disturbed in any way once they arrived at the house. No one else there.

After a two hour flight, which they had to wake up at the exceptionally early hour of three in the morning to catch, they went straight to the bedroom, and flopped down on the plush king sized bed. And they slept like that, too tired to change out of their day clothes, and too tired to even get underneath the blankets.

Desmond was the first to wake. It was nearing sunset. He'd slept too long, but they had two weeks of complete leisure here in the house. He spent the next few hours by the fireplace, reading a book he'd brought with him. When Alex woke up, the sun was down, the stars were out, and Desmond was nowhere to be seen.

After a minor panic attack, Alex looked out the window and saw Desmond staring up at the diamond sky. Scampering over to the minifridge, he grabbed an assortment of alcoholic drinks and a few glasses, racing out to join his boyfriend.

"Start the party without me, why don't you?" Alex grinned, struggling with holding a bottle of vodka, a bottle of white wine, and a six pack of beers. He set them down on the grass and looked up into the great empty void that captured Desmond's attention so absolutely.

"So many stars..." Desmond whispered, "I haven't seen this many since I lived with my family on the farm."

"You never did tell me what you did before you became a bartender," Alex said, handing Desmond a beer. Snapping the top, he chugged the first and winced at the burn from the alcohol. Desmond pensively sipped at his, and he began his story.

"My earliest memory was when I was about eight or nine years old," he explained, "My father had been training me since I was six. I remember hearing all this talk about assassins and templars, but I thought they were just fairy tales; like they were just trying to scare me into staying at the farm."

"But it wasn't," Alex whispered.

"Right. After years of hearing that, I got so tired of it. When I was sixteen, I ran."

"A runaway? You never told me that."

"Didn't see any need to, honestly," Desmond murmured.

"How did you get to New York City?"

"After a day or two, just wandering around the middle of nowhere, there was a group of girls from Illinois. They let me ride with them, and I remember someone telling me, _'If you got nothing, you go to New York. That way, if you leave with nothing, people don't ask why. And if you leave with something, you are one lucky son of a bitch.' _So that's where I went."

"Just like that?"

"Just like that. Got an easy job as a bartender. Even invented my own drink. The Shirley Templar."

Alex had to laugh at that.

"That's a great name, you'll have to make one for me some time," he said, still trying to get over his fit of giggles.

"But after a while of that, they found me. Abstergo," he sighed, taking another sip of beer. "After all those years of laughing and mocking what my family was doing, I had never regretted running away more than I had at that moment."

With that, Desmond quickly became very quiet. He didn't say anything, but Alex could tell. He didn't want to talk about it anymore. Time for a change of subject.

"So what do you think is in that patch of forest over there? Any..._ghosts_? Ooooooh!" Alex joked, wiggling his fingers in a mock attempt at being creepy. Anything to get Desmond to smile.

And Desmond could tell that's what he was doing.

"Thanks," he said. He scooted closer and rested his head on Alex's shoulder. Alex only hummed, and tried his best not to smile like an idiot.

* * *

**They're all alone in the countryside. No houses for miles. Nearly no cars. Do you know what that means?**

**OUTDOOR SEX!**

**Okay I should probably stop it's almost 4:30 am. Woops.**

**Night!**


	9. Brag

**Hey there.**

**Ugh, school starts again on Wednesday. Oh well, it's my SENIOR YEAR BBY AWW YISS.**

**WARNING: THIS CHAPTER MOST LIKELY WILL NOT CONTAIN DESMOND, but he might show up. I find planning these things ahead kinda ruin it. I prefer to make it up as I go.**

**Music recommendation: Melanie Fiona - "Please Don't Go (Cry Baby)"**

**OKAY GO**

* * *

009. Brag

"Oh my god," Dana groaned, "ALEX SHUT UP."

"I WAS RIGHT AND YOU WERE WRONG ADMIT IT."

"Really?" Lucy growled. "This is what you guys are doing?"

Alex scoffed.

"Dana said I'd never be able to get Desmond," Alex gloated, "and I quote, 'There's no way Desmond swings that way.' But you were..." Alex tip toed and danced over to Dana to poke her in the nose, and he said, "wrong!" Cackling, Alex jumped up and down, spinning in a circle.

"Alex, you're just lucky Desmond said yes, especially after what happened two months ago. Might I remind you of the grizzly murder that he witnessed when meeting you for the first time?" Lucy scolded. "You're just lucky I'm friends with _both_ of you, and that I managed to convince him that you weren't really an evil murder."

Alex scoffed again, waving his hand in dismissal.

"You shouldn't have lied. I am a murderer, after all," he said in a matter-of-fact tone, a sly grin spreading across his cheeks. Finally, Dana admitted defeat.

"Alright, so I was wrong about Desmond. Apparently, he does swing that way. So when is your first date with him?" She inquired, nudging him with an elbow.

"Wednesday," he said, a very pleased expression on his face. He got the guy, _and_ Dana admitted she was wrong. "In three days."

"Where are you gonna take him?" Lucy joined in. "Don't take him to the movies as a first date, that's stupid."

Alex was silent. For a long, long time.

"Oh boy," Lucy shook her head. "You planned on taking him to the movies, didn't you?"

Alex nodded slowly.

"That's a bad idea," Lucy said, repeating herself.

"Well how about the museum?" Alex said, desperately trying to please the girls. They knew more about dating than he did.

"Even worse," Lucy said.

Dana had been on far more dates than Alex and Lucy combined. Lucy, as an assassin, could rarely take that risk. Even so, Dana agreed that the movies and the museum were terrible ideas.

"Well, what about baseball?" Lucy suggested, "Desmond likes baseball. Take him to a game."

Alex thought about it for a moment, then he nodded.

"Baseball sounds like a good idea," he muttered. After a while of talking about it, he went to get his laptop to score some tickets, and Lucy and Dana began to get ready to leave.

"Oh, and Alex?"

"Hmm?"

"No consuming."

* * *

**CANDY FOR EVERYONE IF YOU CAUGHT BOTH OF THE TWO LINES FROM BROTHERHOOD I PUT IN HERE.**

**Okay bye.**


	10. Older

**So not pumped for school tomorrow. But whatever.**

**Music recommendation: Django Reinhardt - "Tea for Two"**

**Happy protocreeding.**

* * *

010. Older

March thirteenth. Desmond's birthday. A wednesday; a working day, but each of them took the day off from their duties to just relax and enjoy the company of each other.

Desmond was always the type to be happy about his birthday and getting older. Every year, he'd wake up and be a giddy mess because today was another year of growing older. Alex didn't understand how he did it.

Though he was happy about Desmond's birthday, he couldn't help but feel a little remorse. Desmond was a year older now, but so would he be in just a few months.

Alex was eight years Desmond's senior. Being with Desmond made him feel both young and old at the same time.

He always felt young, adventurous, bursting with energy around Desmond. If you had seen him before Desmond, you'd think Alex didn't know what it was to live. But everything changed when he met Desmond. It was no longer about him, and finding out what had happened to him at Gentek. It was about them.

But when he took their age difference into consideration, Alex always felt a hint of bitterness, and nervousness, at the thought of Desmond finding someone else. Desmond could probably find someone else, someone much younger, to take Alex's place. But Alex wasn't sure he could ever find someone to replace his Desmond.

"Alex, I can tell something's bothering you. Things aren't allowed to bother you on my birthday, or else they'll be assassinated."

"Ha, I don't think you can assassinate my problems," Alex, said with a laugh, "not unless you have a time machine or something."

Desmond, now concerned about his boyfriend, frowned, then reached forward and yanked off his brown hood.

"Hey!"

"We need to talk about whatever this is. Either you do start talking on your own, or..." he trailed off, his mouth moving to Alex's neck, "I force it out of you."

He gently bit the pale neck underneath his lips, leaving a small wet spot on the smooth skin. He drew back, only to blow on the wet spot, causing Alex to buck underneath him. Still, Alex said nothing. So Desmond would have to do this the hard way. Haha, get it? The hard way?

Alex was without his trademark black leather jacket today, so that just made this easier. He pushed back his already unzipped hoodie. Alex tried to keep it on, but Desmond was insistent. He moved to unbutton Alex's white shirt, moaning into his lover's chest, hand moving farther and farther south, until it reached...

"Okay! I'll talk!" Alex cried, a slight squeak to his voice as Desmond's hand found a rather private area of his.

"Good. What's this about?"

Alex shifted uncomfortably. He didn't really want to bother Desmond with his problems on his own birthday. It was a day for Desmond to enjoy not having to solve other people's problems. It was a day for-

"Alex, spit it out!"

"Alright, alright. Well," he started off, quietly, "I was thinking about it, and I realized that you're twenty six years old now. And..."

"And what?"

"It just made me feel kinda old. I mean, I'm eight years older than you, for Christ's sake!" He half shouted. "I feel like you can do better than me, someone younger."

Desmond was silent. For at least a few minutes. But after that silence came a harsh slap to Alex's cheek. Alex didn't feel the slap. He was too used to pain. The slap was quickly made up for by a heated kiss.

He definitely felt that.

"I don't understand, first you slap me, then you can't keep your hands off me?"

"You're so stupid, Alex. Really, really stupid. I don't want a younger man," Desmond whispered, "I want you."

* * *

**Have some slightly aggressive, slightly heartwrenching fluff.**

**Maybe another chapter later. But probably not because I'm going out to dinner with friends later and won't be home until late.**

**But it's still a possibility.**

**Enjoy this chapter!**


	11. Woman

**Hay ladies. Or guys, idk. Let's do this.**

**Music recommendation: Keri Hilson - "Beautiful Mistake"**

**Teeheee**

* * *

001. Woman

Desmond wouldn't lie. When it came to Alex, women made him nervous. Alex was a handsome man, and he turned the heads of ladies wherever he went. He was always worried that Alex would someday notice one of those pretty girls who liked to stare so much.

Sure, he himself is gay, but Alex had told Desmond himself that he swings both ways.

Today was seemingly like any other day. Just a walk in the park.

Literally, they were taking a walk through Central Park.

Desmond saw a small group, about three or four girls, who looked in their direction. They looked no older than eighteen or nineteen, far too young to be looking at thirty three year old Alex. They began to whisper among themselves, tossing glances at Alex.

Eventually, one of them walked up with a determined look on her face. Long, perfectly curled blonde hair. Soft brown eyes, hidden behind a curtain of long black lashes. Plump pink lips. A near-perfect figure.

She was cute. Her freckles made her even cuter.

Desmond tried his best not to glare at the girl. It wasn't her fault that Alex was good-looking. But he couldn't help being possessive of one of the only people Desmond could truly say he loved.

"Hey," she started out, moving to tangle her perfectly polished fingers in her curls in what she thought was an adorable manner. "I haven't seen you around here before. What's your name?"

Alex saw what game she was playing, and decided to humor her...for now.

"And why should I tell you?"

"Because I'm interested in you," she said, smirking. "You're different."

"Are you now?" Alex said with a small smile.

Desmond wanted to whip out his hidden blade and chase all these obnoxious teen girls away from_ his_ Alex.

"Yeah," she said, taking a step closer. "Whaddya say you and I get out of here? I'm sure your friend here won't mind."

She's really pressing her luck.

Alex laughed, shaking his head.

"Sorry, ladies," he said. "I'm taken."

The girls all audibly groaned, and Desmond could hear one of them say something along the lines of 'all the good ones are taken'.

"Pff," she scoffed at him, "She can't be any better than_ me_, can she?" Again, she twirled her hair in her fingers, a small pout on her lips. She dropped her left hip in a seductive manner. Alex laughed again.

"Trust me," he said, lacing his fingers with Desmond's, "_he_ is."

If jaws could ever drop all the way to the floor, it would have been then. The blonde girl was at a complete loss for words, only gaping at them with a look of disbelief.

Alex rubbed his thumb on the back of Desmond's hand, leaning in to place a soft, chaste kiss on Desmond's forehead. And with that, they continued their walk through the park.

Desmond didn't know it, but all that was to get a rise out of him.

* * *

**Hahaha!**

**Yeah, it's my headcanon that Desmond is full out gay (dated Lucy, but only because he hadn't quite realized he was gay yet), but Alex is bisexual.**

**That's just me though.**

**Okay bye!**


	12. Fear

**Heehee I'M BACK :D**

**I SHOULD be writing the 2 page english paper that is due on tuesday, but hey I still got all of monday to do that.**

**Music recommendation: Lana Del Rey - "Carmen"**

**Yes, I still like Lana Del Rey.**

* * *

012. Fear

Alex's biggest fear, by far, was of losing Desmond.

With what could potentially be thugs around ever corner, drug dealers, and, worst of all, the infected count slowly growing, the streets of New York City were not safe int he least.

It was one day that Alex was leaving to take care of a Hive, when Desmond asked to come with him.

"What?"

"You heard me the first time Alex. I want to come with you."

The water that Alex had previously spit out was beginning to drip off the edge of the table and onto the floor. Desmond rushed into the kitchen to grab some rags to mop it up.

"Desmond, you know I can't do that," Alex said, his voice slightly quivering. "It's too much of a risk."

"A risk of what? I'm an assassin, Alex," he said, sopping up the water with a small rag, "I'm pretty sure I can take care of myself."

"Yeah, against normal humans. Desmond, anyone who's infected becomes unpredictable, and there are hundreds in one infected zone at any given time," he buried his face in his palms, "I can't take you with me."

"But Alex-"

"NO, Desmond!" he roared. Desmond flinched. He had never seen Alex so angry before. Alex sighed. He hadn't meant to scare him.

Walking up to him, Alex wrapped his arms around Desmond in a tight, protective hug, burying his face into Desmond's short hair.

"I'm sorry," he whispered, "But I can't lose you to the virus...I don't know what I would do if you became one of those mindless..._things_, walking the streets of Manhattan...I don't know how I would live with myself."

Desmond responded by nuzzling into Alex's neck, breathing in his musky scent.

"But what about you?" Desmond asked, "You risk your life every day by doing this. If something happens, I-"

"I promise you, Desmond," he said, looking him in his brown eyes, "even if I were on death's doorstep, I would drag myself all the way across the city if I had to, if it meant seeing you before I die."

"Don't say that, you make it sound like you _plan_ on dying," Desmond said, choking back a sob.

"Don't worry," he said, kissing Desmond on the forehead, "I wouldn't dream of it...not while you're here."

* * *

**Sorry I made it so sad. Woops.**

**Well, there you go. There might be another one later today.**

**Deuces.**


	13. Another

**Let's get it started.**

**Music recommendation: Alex Clare - "Too Close"**

**OKAY GO**

* * *

013. Another

"What an asshole."

Desmond was mumbling furiously to himself as he walked down the street. He and Alex had just gotten into the worst fight they had ever had the privilege to be a part of. Now that Desmond thought about it, it was pretty stupid to be arguing about what they_ were_ arguing about. Which was the color of the walls of the house they wanted to get someday.

But that didn't mean Desmond would back down from his opinion and go crawling back to their apartment. _No sir._

He was walking towards the bar he worked at. On their days off, employees who came to the bar got a few free drinks.

When he got there, it was packed full of weekend partiers. All the men were dressed in button up shirts (most of which were only half buttoned) and all the women in short skirts and heels.

"Hey, it's Desmond!"

His boss. Way too friendly for his own good.

"What are you doing out tonight? Lady friend kick you out?" His boss ended the joke with a hearty laugh.

"Eh, you could say that," Desmond said. He hadn't told his boss he was gay. Too scared of potentially getting fired. He wasn't _positive_ that his boss was homophobic, but he wasn't about to take that chance.

"Sorry to hear. Will a drink cheer you up?"

"Yeah, a drink sounds great right now," Desmond said, sighing and resting his elbow on the table and propping his head up with his hand. "I'll take one of my Shirley Templars, if you will," he said, a small smile on his face.

This got a loud laugh from his boss.

"A Shirley Templar! Local favorite. Comin' right up."

After a while of sipping at his drink, another drink was put down in front of him.

"From the lady over there," his boss informed him, gesturing to his left and giving Desmond a suggestive eyebrow waggle. Desmond turned, and found a pretty, dark skinned girl winking at him, smiling and wiggling her fingers. He waved back.

But only so he wouldn't seem rude.

He sipped on the drink, noticing right away that it was much too sweet for him. He almost grimaced.

Alex would know exactly what drink he liked. _Shit_, he promised himself he wouldn't think about Alex.

Okay, just think about...yeah, what color you want to paint the walls! Wait, that has to do with Alex, too. SHIT.

Maybe he was being a bit rash by just storming out on Alex. Where would he sleep?

"Hey there."

He turned to find an overweight man with wildly curly chest hair poking out between the buttons on his shirt. Gross.

Yeah, he was going home. Without a word, he stood and left the bar.

On the way home, a car slowly rode up to him. His car. Their car.

The door was thrown open by none other than Alex, who ran up to him and practically threw himself at Desmond, silencing any words that were about to come out of his mouth with a kiss. He kissed back with just as much, if not more, gusto as Alex. He slowly pushed Alex back towards the car, and they whispered apologies to each other between heated kisses.

It became clear to them that night that they would never love another as much as they loved each other.

* * *

**Heehee fluff. 3**

**Uploading to tumblr now. MAYBE another chapter later.**

**Bye.**


	14. Soft

**I kind of lost my list of words, so for the next few I'll just kind of make them up as I go, I guess.**

**Music recommendation: Lana Del Rey - "Blue Velvet"**

**Woop woop**.

* * *

014. Soft

Desmond loved Alex's messy brown hair. It always smelled so good; a natural scent, but not unpleasant.

And it was always so soft.

On rainy Saturday mornings, Desmond would always wake Alex by running his fingers through the messy curls. So soft. And he didn't even use conditioner. It was a wonder how he got it to be so silky, but still be thick.

His own hair was short. Very short. So short, that touching it felt more like flannel almost. It wasn't unpleasant to touch his own hair, but not the same as Alex's.

He wished he had hair like Ezio's. Long, thick, and down to his , maybe not exactly like Ezio's. He wasn't sure how he felt about chin length hair. But thick brown hair had always been appealing to him. Better than his own, much darker peach fuzz. It certainly seemed to work with Ezio; he always got the ladies.

Not that he was interested in ladies.

All he wanted was something he could tangle his fingers in, but no matter how long he waited, his hair almost never grew longer than it was now.

Hell, Altair probably had longer hair than him.

Alex wasn't waking up. Desmond didn't worry, Alex tended to be a light sleeper when it came to sounds, but a heavy sleeper when it came to touch. Odd, but true. He could even sleep through Desmond flipping his body onto the floor.

So Desmond indulged himself in running his fingers through Alex's hair one more time.

How did he manage to get such nice, soft hair when he could only manage to grow a little?

He hoped Alex _wouldn't_ wake up soon, because if he caught him playing with his hair, he would say he was jealous, which was completely true, but Desmond wasn't quite ready to admit it.

Later, Alex woke to Desmond, playing with his hair. Desmond rubbed a circle in his own hair, a small frown adorning his face.

Was that jealousy he saw?

Alex sat up and leaned closer, cupped his lover's cheeks in his hands and gave him a chaste kiss. He placed a hand on Desmond's hair, rubbed it lightly, and smiled.

"Just like velvet."

* * *

**Well, finally, a new chapter.**

**Hope you liked it. It actually took a while because I kept getting distracted by The Walking Dead.**

**Bye!**


	15. Scarf

**Ha. Ha ha. Ha ha. Ha. Ha HA.**

**What's up. Hello.**

**So done with this week, tgif for seriousness. Okay whatevs.**

**Music recommendation: Lianne La Havas - "Age"**

* * *

015. Scarf

October. It's cold. Indoors, it was stuffy, but he didn't dare open the window, or he'd let the heat escape the apartment.

He had his coat, and he had his gloves. Everything _seemed_ to be there. Desmond walked out the door, but immediately shrank back inside once the chilly autumn wind nipped his nose and neck.

He shut the door and turned to the closet to find his scarf. His eyes scanned the coat rack for the familiar soft fabric of his white scarf with dark red stripes.

Wait, where is it?

He frantically rifled through all the fabrics in the closet, even checked to see if perhaps he had balled it up and stuffed it inside a hat or a pocket. But he couldn't find it.

It seemed like he would be going out with a cold neck.

He at least decided to grab a cap to cover his short hair. As he snagged his favorite beanie with his index and middle finger, but stopped when a loose fabric fell to the floor.

He picked up the dark gray scarf. It wasn't his, he knew that much, but he did recognize it. It was Alex's.

Should he take it? Alex probably didn't need it; it was likely that Alex would not be leaving the apartment today. But then again, he didn't know that. And it wasn't his. But it was so _cold_, and he really needed to get to work.

He decidedly scooped up the scarf and wrapped it around his neck, pulled it up to cover his mouth and nose, and he walked out the door. His face was blasted with a cold, dry wind and a few orange leaves slapped his cheeks.

He took a deep breath. He could smell Alex on the scarf, and he buried himself further in the wool.

* * *

**Yeah, really short. Sorry.**

**I wrote it real quick in my free time during my creative writing class, but I really wanted to update today.**

**I miss having all the free time in the world.**

**I also miss having actual friends. My friends have all kind of drifted away or pushed me away this year so far, so I don't have a lot of people to talk to. Not the best of moods all during this week.**

**But I have this.**

**Bye.**


	16. Quiet

**Hello and welcome**

**Music recommendation: Coldplay - "Us Against The World"**

**Okay bye**

* * *

016. Quiet

Desmond lay quietly in the bed. He was awake, but had nothing to say to Alex, and vice versa. He was not angry; there was no need to be. They were merely comfortable in their silence.

Alex snaked his fingers in between Desmond's. A sigh came from the lips of the younger man, but no words.

It was a quiet day outside. No cars, no people. It was surreal, in a way, for New York City to be plagued in complete silence. The window was open, letting in only the frigid air of the November sky. The first few sheets of snow had dusted the streets only a few days ago.

Desmond sat up, reaching for his warm cup of coffee and taking a large gulp. He got up and closed the window. Alex groaned in displeasure at the lack of a cold breeze, but still said nothing. He had always preferred the cold while Desmond preferred warmth. Desmond curled back up on the bed and swaddled himself in the thick, soft blankets to keep warm. Alex wordlessly removed his jacket to counter the sudden heat that kissed his cheeks. Desmond only stared at him.

An hour passed. Another. And another. Still, both were awake and nothing was said. They remained comfortable in the quiet that tickled their ears. The sound of nothing was welcomed.

Slowly, despite his excessive warmth, Alex scooted closer to Desmond and slipped underneath the blanket.

Immediately, Desmond felt the warmth radiating off of him. It was like sleeping next to a furnace. He instinctively curled up against him, sighing contently and nuzzling his nose close to Alex's adam's apple.

Alex thoroughly disliked the heat, but he remained silent. For Desmond's sake.

* * *

**Super short, sorry.**

**Writing hasn't been easy for me lately. I don't have a computer at home that I can use. Well, I do, as I'm using my mother's laptop now.**

**But she doesn't know, nor has she given me permission.**

**Sorry it's so short. Next will be longer.**


	17. Dream

**Hello. I am back.**

**Let's get this done.**

**Music recommendation: Adele - "Daydreamer"**

* * *

017. Dream

Desmond dreamed, just like any normal man. After all, he was a normal man in his own eyes. In the eyes of others, it would not be the case. But who's to say the others' opinions count?

Desmond dreamed.

He sat on a porch swing, reveling the sweet spring breeze. His head was rested in the crook of Alex's neck, who sat next to him, eyes closed peacefully. To see Alex so relaxed was a privilege. Alex never let his guard down around anyone but him. It was a blessing as well, as he knew his lover's mind was at ease.

Desmond's bare toes drummed on the grainy wood of the cool porch floor. Alex's steady breathing was lulling him into a soft sleep. He embraced the sleep, for he knew when he woke, Alex would still be there.

Alex dreamed. His was a bit more realistic.

He dreamed that the BLACKWATCH had left Manhattan. The infection still raged on, but with BLACKWATCH gone, Alex and Desmond were free to leave the island. So they did.

They left one night, when it was just getting dark. They booked a plane to somewhere far from humanity; somewhere Alex wouldn't be able to infect any more people.

They fled to a remote house in the middle of a huge forest. It was near enough that Desmond could go to work, or go out and get what he needed; but it was far enough from the masses of people.

They lived quietly. Sometimes Alex would miss the action. He would miss the hustle and bustle of the city, the thrill of the fights, the risks he would take. Desmond sometimes missed it as well, but not as much as Alex.

He especially missed the city's hideous symphony.

Cars honking went from an annoyance to a treat. The rap music's thundering bass became something he craved. He even missed the far off gunshots one would hear on odd occasions.

He missed his old life. Back when he was a well-respected scientist, even if it was working for Gentek. He missed Dana. He missed Karen, in his own strange way. He missed her in the way that a person would miss a bug. You want them gone, but once they're gone you want them to come back so you can squash them yourself.

But he had already squashed Karen.

A better way of putting it would be to say that Alex missed the killing.

But killing wouldn't win him the man that stood by his side. It wouldn't win him his Desmond. If anything, it would drive him away.

And if it drove Desmond away, what would the point have been for all this?

So he didn't kill. He began to live again like a normal human. He ate like a normal human. He slept like one. Acted like one.

He missed the danger, but he would miss Desmond more.

He was more important to him than his own desires.

Of course, though it was more realistic than Desmond's dream, it was also impossible. BLACKWATCH would never leave; at least not willingly. Alex could't control who he could and couldn't infect. It was an unfortunate feature of the virus.

Desmond would never have that countryside house filled with flowers and peaceful afternoon naps.

But they had each other, and that was as close to their dreams as they could get.

* * *

**Well I'm done.**

**Kill me.**

**Bye.**


End file.
